Turkey referee scandal: Hundreds of officials found with betting accounts

This day could mark a defining moment for Turkish football – a sport long overshadowed by controversies surrounding referees, even incidents of violence against them.

This is not the first time refereeing has been at the centre of debate in Turkey. For years, officials have faced fierce criticism for their performances. But this time, the issue runs far deeper, and involves far more than a few individuals.

Among the numbers released by the TFF are seven elite referees qualified to officiate in the Super Lig, the country’s top division.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, prosecutors confirmed that an official investigation into the allegations began back in April.

Many questions remain unanswered.

Who are these referees? How many matches have they officiated in recent years? Were any of those matches linked to their betting activity? Did they know about each other’s involvement – or even place bets on each other’s games?

For now, the public has few answers. The scale of the allegations has shaken confidence in the game to its core.

Several football commentators in Turkey have called for league matches to be suspended until the investigation is complete, arguing that innocent referees are now unfairly caught under a cloud of suspicion.

Others say this moment should accelerate calls for foreign referees to be brought in – a proposal that has surfaced repeatedly in recent years.

Yet, the football calendar moves on. Two matches are scheduled for Monday night, and the league is set to continue this week.

What is certain is that Turkish refereeing will never be viewed the same way again.

And the truth is, the entire football world in Turkey will now be deeply sceptical about any future matches.

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